By Rep. Paul Anderson
One week of session remains before the Legislature takes its traditional one-week break for Easter and Passover. After finishing up business on Friday, we won’t be back in session until Tuesday, April 23.
What makes it a bit more challenging this year is that Easter comes at nearly the last possible day in the somewhat complicated method in which it is figured. Something about the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. So, taking a week off just when preliminary work on budget bills has finished could be somewhat challenging.
That means, when we return, only four weeks will remain in the session. And there is lots of additional work to accomplish before these bills are passed in their respective chambers and reconciled in conference committees. The tentative calendar has those budget bills coming to the floor for initial votes during that first week back after recess, followed by the task of finding compromises that both bodies can agree on for a new two-year state spending plan.
It won’t be easy. The House follows the governor’s budget plan pretty closely. That means a 20-cents-per-gallon gas tax increase, a very expensive new program pertaining to paid family leave, and retention of the two percent provider tax. The Senate has said “no” to all these proposals and, in fact, the gas tax increase has been called a “non-starter” by Republican leadership. If you also take into account the additional tax increases in the House plan, one can see the vast differences that need to be worked out.
***
I visited with a spokesperson from the Nebraska Farm Bureau last week and heard about the destruction caused by massive flooding in that state. She called it a “perfect storm” of conditions that came together to cause the worst flooding in the state’s history. Cold weather in the western part of the state, the so-called bomb cyclone blizzard, dumped heavy snow in that area. Warmer weather further east that led to large amounts of rain. The result was an incredibly fast thawing of the winter snow pack that, along with up to four inches of rain, simply devastated large parts of the state.
Ranchers attempted to move their livestock to higher ground, however the water reached areas that had never been flooded before. In some areas, mainly the northeast part of the state, large amounts of topsoil washed away, which was replaced by up to six feet of sand and silt. Some of that ground may never be farmed again!
A dam, called the Spencer Dam, gave way and broke, sending massive amounts of water, ice chunks and other debris cascading downstream. Whatever was in the way was either heavily damaged or destroyed - buildings, grain bins, roads, and bridges.
Early estimates put livestock losses at $400 million, with another $440 million in crop losses. And that doesn’t come close to the damage done to infrastructure. Roads and rail lines washed out, deep gullies alongside broken-up pavement that used to be highways. Those damage estimates range into the billions of dollars.
The need is great. Hay and other supplies have been coming into the state. And cash donations are also pouring in. The Red Cross has done amazing work and would be a good organization to make donations to. The Nebraska Farm Bureau has also set up a fund to accept donations. Here is the address:
Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation
Attn: Disaster Relief Fund
P.O. Box 80299
Lincoln, Nebraska 68501
Rep. Anderson may be reached at his legislative office by emailing rep.paul.anderson@house.mn or by calling (651) 296-4317.
-30-